Political party caucuses coming soon

On Tuesday, March 1, we have an opportunity to make a difference. Political party caucuses will be held across Moffat County, the first Tuesday of March. A caucus is a meeting of party members of a specific political party, who gather to elect delegates to the political party’s assembly, another large meeting. Caucus meetings are comprised of registered voters within a precinct (geographical area) who are members of one of the two major political parties. Caucus meetings are open to the public. This is truly our republic at work at the grassroots level. Even if you are 17 now, but will be 18 on the date of the next general election (Nov. 8, 2022), you may participate.

Caucus attendees elect individuals who will be responsible for organizing political activities for their specific precinct. This includes electing an individual to chair the precinct, who becomes a voting member of the party’s Central Committee, a body tasked with party leadership within the county. At the caucus, individuals are also chosen to represent their precinct as delegates at the county assembly. At the assembly, candidates are designated for the primary election and delegates are selected to attend higher-level congressional district and state assemblies.

The precinct caucus is where we can truly make a difference, starting at the local level. It is critical that we get out and attend our caucuses and stand up for what is right and for our Constitution. If you have not registered with one of the major parties, you must do so at least 22 days before the caucus to participate (that would be no later than Feb. 7). Local locations have not currently been announced, but will be soon. I cannot stress the importance of attending these caucuses, as it really is your chance to have a voice and make a difference.

Carol Haskins

Please get vaccinated

This letter is a response to a letter recently published in the Craig Press.

I do not understand why anyone would not want everyone in America to be fully vaccinated against COVID.

If it were not for vaccines, we would still have many diseases causing us extreme problems. Polio comes to mind immediately. Don’t most intelligent people get a flu shot in the fall?

To state just a few facts, COVID has so far killed over 800,000 people in the U.S. alone. Deaths worldwide number over 5,312,340. Total cases diagnosed in the U.S. are 50,346,987. Cases diagnosed worldwide number 270,783,891. Cases in Moffat County alone have risen to 2,231, and deaths in Moffat County are 48. All these figures are the latest I could find on the internet.

This data is supported by articles recently published the Craig Press, including “As Omicron spreads to the Western Slope, local healthcare braces — again,” published Dec. 21.

I also do not understand why anyone would want someone that could possibly give you this deadly disease tending to you in any health care environment. I go to the doctor’s office, the dentist, or the hospital to get cured, not infected with a disease that can kill me.

Health care leaders worldwide have told us that the only way this epidemic will end is for everyone to get fully vaccinated. Some people are telling us that it is OK to not be vaccinated, this means to me that these people want this pandemic to never end. Skewed thinking in my opinion.

I personally want this disease to end. When it does, all of our lives can get back to a more state of normal. It seems to me that some people want us to stay under the COVID thumb in perpetuity.

According to “USSpending.gov”, the United States has spent close to 4 trillion of our tax dollars combating COVID. This money could have been much better spent caring for our veterans, or the elderly, or repairing some of our aging infrastructure. There are those that think we should waste more of our tax dollars on COVID.

I applaud the hospital, all businesses and organizations that put harsh restrictions on unvaccinated people. We must defeat this disease, and the only way to do that is to get fully vaccinated.

And to those that have the idea that getting vaccinated is somehow a sin: I very much doubt that God wants you to die from a disease that is so easily preventable. I believe in God as well and I believe that God wants me to do everything I can do preserve my life and my body.

Please do you neighbor, your county and your country a huge favor and get your COVID vaccine today.

Allen Hischke